Wageningen-based Grassa lands €3.6M to turn grass into the next superfood and cut nitrogen emissions

Wageningen-based Grassa, a company that offers dairy farmers an additional revenue model, has raised €3.6M to develop its grass protein production technology.

The proceeds will support scaling up the process, demonstrating benefits to dairy farmers, and developing grass protein for human consumption.

Grassa’s investment comes from Perspectieffonds Gelderland (PFG), managed by Oost NL, along with existing shareholders Fransen Gerrits and Brightlands Venture Partners.

What does Grassa offer?

Grassa has developed an innovative method to lower nitrogen emissions by modifying the protein content in grass while providing a sustainable alternative to soy-based protein. By reducing excess protein in grass, the company helps decrease emissions from cows and prevents nitrogen imports by replacing imported soy.

Using a process of pressing, heating, and filtering, Grassa transforms grass into four valuable products. One key product, unlocked grass, enhances cows’ protein digestion, leading to lower ammonia, phosphate, and methane emissions. This solution enables dairy farmers to reduce environmental impact without cutting livestock numbers or incurring extra costs.

The company is collaborating with 25-50 dairy farmers to demonstrate that extracting 50 per cent of the protein from grass has no negative effect on milk yield. Additionally, the extracted protein does not contribute to nitrogen in manure, further supporting sustainable agriculture.

According to Grassa’s website, to promote its approach, the company hosts presentations at its office, followed by guided tours of its production facility in Afferden, where visitors can observe the entire processing workflow.

Rieks Smook, CEO of Grassa, says, “Every hectare processed results in approximately 35 M3 less manure sales; When processing 20 per cent ​​of the Dutch, the manure surplus has disappeared. When processing 60 per cent, a quantity of grass protein is produced that can meet the entire Dutch soy demand.”

Here’s what the investors have to say

Huub Fransen, CEO of Fransen Gerrits, says, “As a feed producer, we are constantly looking for ways to feed animals more efficiently and reduce the footprint of meat, milk and eggs. With Grassa, we make better use of grass, which reduces the milk footprint and allows farmers to make better use of their grassland. A win-win situation.”

Sindy Vreugdenhil, investment manager Food at Oost NL, adds, “It helps to tackle the nitrogen problem, accelerates the transition to vegetable proteins and offers farmers new revenue models.”

Perspectieffonds Gelderland has announced its support for Grassa as part of its strategy to advance sustainability in agriculture and promote environmentally friendly food production. 

Grassa’s approach focuses on reducing nitrogen emissions by modifying the protein content in grass and offering an alternative to soy-based protein. The company aims to contribute to a more sustainable food supply and a resilient rural economy.

Marcel Zijp, senior investment manager at Brightlands Venture Partners, mentions, “We invest in innovations that contribute to a future-proof agrifood system. Grassa’s technology, which converts grass into locally available vegetable protein for human consumption, is groundbreaking.”

“The fact that cows from the remaining grass produce the same amount of milk with the same nutritional value makes this innovation globally relevant.”